Ablaze
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: When Yohanna is sent to Reimagia on her undercover mission, Bonvis worries for her safety and insists on going with her; meanwhile, Sofia and Cedric are visiting the Reimagian inhabitants and unwillingly get caught up in the chaos.
1. Deeply Involved

Ablaze

Summary: When Yohanna is sent to Reimagia on her undercover mission, Bonvis worries for her safety and insists on going with her; meanwhile, Sofia and Cedric are visiting the Reimagian inhabitants and unwillingly get caught up in the chaos.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Bonvis, Yohanna, Malvino, Laukki/Blaze, Vibbi, and the kingdom of Reimagia, as well as any other OCs that show up.

A/N: Hi, everyone! I'm back with another mission-like story, and you'll get to meet a new and rather unique enemy here. We'll also get to see a bit more of the dynamic between Bonvis and Yohanna, as well as meet up with at least Malvino from Reimagia again. 😉

Note: Yohanna is from "Persisting Memories." Bonvis first appeared in "The Scepter of Darkness" with his twin Quilor. They both reappeared in "Malum In Se," in which Quilor died. Bonvis met Yohanna for the first time in "Persisting Memories." And Malvino is from "Reimagia." Hope that helps!

* * *

**Chapter 1: Deeply Involved**

* * *

It was late afternoon in the Mystic Isles, and the sky was already painted with a beautiful gradient of purple and orange. A flock of alicorns flew by, possibly heading to the Isle of Unicorns. The weather had been good and calm all week, and relatively cooler for August, and this Friday was no different.

Bonvis lay reclined against a tree near the water on the Isle of Mermaids. He had been in and out of consciousness the last hour, fighting off sleep but failing as the sheer peacefulness of the land practically sang him a silent lullaby. He loved listening to the waterfalls cascading into the water, the wind rustling the leaves of the trees, and the animals skittering around him. Nothing could lull him into a calm state quite like nature.

Well… Almost nothing.

The sorcerer had just about drifted off to sleep again when he felt a hand settle on his chest and another one playing with his ponytail. He blinked a few times, sighing and smiling toward the source of his current alertness. "Yohanna… How was your swim?"

Yohanna, now in her human form, returned his smile and shrugged as she ceased her previous motions and instead leaned up against her friend, her head reclined on his shoulder. "It was fine. It was good to clear my head…"

Bonvis frowned. Something about the way she was staring at the water, and the way her voice was trailing off, concerned him somewhat. "What's wrong?"

She looked toward him, contemplating his words. "I…" There wasn't any use hiding anything from him. He was rather perceptive, and she knew that he could drag information out of her, even if she didn't feel ready to divulge anything at the moment. "I…know I told you about an undercover mission that I was preparing for." Seeing him nod, she sighed. "It's been moved up."

Bonvis stared at her, perplexed. "To when?"

The Protector smiled sheepishly. "Tomorrow?"

His mouth dropped as he sat up, thus causing her to do the same. "Yohanna! _Tomorrow_? You couldn't have told me sooner?"

She blinked at his reaction, sitting back on her ankles. "What difference would _that _have made, Bonvis? I go on missions all the time."

"But…" He frowned, turning and folding his arms as she stared at him, perplexed by his sudden mood change. "You always give me at least a bit more of a heads up than that. And you've told me how much more complicated and even dangerous these types of missions could be. I barely have enough time to brace myself for your…possible entrance into hazardous conditions."

The Undercover Protector took in his words before laughing softly, causing her friend to glance back at her. "Bonvis… I appreciate your concern, but I've been doing this for a long time now. It's my job. And honestly, I'm used to danger and 'hazardous conditions,' as you call them."

"Yeah, but…" He turned to fully face her, his hands absently tracing the patterns of his tunic. "Can you at least tell me what this mission is about? I know a lot of the Protectors like to keep things hush-hush, especially from former delinquents like myself, but…" He glanced up at her, his imploring gray eyes gazing into her softening aquamarine ones. "For my own sanity and peace of mind, especially as someone who doesn't have much left, considering…"

Yohanna smiled in understanding, rolling her eyes as she moved to sit next to him, leaning her shoulder against his. "All right, if it will help…" She clasped her hands together. "Vega and Orion, as well as my former trainer Nerissa, informed me of a disturbance in a realm called Reimagia."

"It's been a long time since I've heard that name. It's a training ground for a lot of magic wielders."

She nodded. "It's been through a lot of changes in the last few years, too. Long story short, the leader and several others were struck down by an evil entity, which one of our own—Princess Sofia—apparently defeated." She winked at her friend as he glanced at her. "You did tell me yourself that she is rather powerful. To defeat an evil being like Kinoroh takes a lot of strength and power, so I'm inclined to believe you."

He nodded, opting to listen to her rather than respond.

"Anyway, while all had been relatively settled for the most part, there seems to be a new enemy terrorizing their land. From what I was told, there is a wicked merman, a Fire Starter, named Laukki, who is plotting to destroy Reimagia due to a run-in he had with one of the trainers there: a Hand Magic Expert named Malvino." She pulled her legs up to her chin. "Laukki can control underwater volcanoes and any source of fire, which is ironic for a water dweller. In any case, he and Malvino clashed when the latter discovered that the former was initially trying to destroy his kingdom with his fire powers. Malvino stopped him and ended up damaging Laukki's fin and injuring his tail with his own powers, and naturally Laukki vowed revenge. That all took place a few months ago…"

"I don't understand what he originally had against Reimagia and its people though," the sorcerer admitted, folding his arms. "Was he shunned? Ostracized? Embarrassed?"

"He is a _bad guy_, Bonvis. He doesn't _have _to have a reason to do what he does." She paused, seeing the somewhat perturbed look on his face. She grinned sheepishly. "No offense… I mean, _some _people learn from their mistakes, but others don't… And it's possible that he falls into that category, you know? After all, if he's talking about revenge, it's clear that he's not exactly seeking redemption at this moment, and he needs to be stopped."

"Hmm. So, he's looking to make good on his promise." Seeing his friend nod, Bonvis stood up and offered his hand to the young woman.

Yohanna blinked at his gesture before accepting his hand, pulling herself to her feet. She offered him a dubious look as she observed his expression. "Bonvis… What are you thinking?"

"I have a really bad feeling about this mission, Yohanna…"

"Bon—" She paused as he placed a finger over her lips.

"Just…let me finish." He lowered his hand after she nodded. "I know this is your thing. I know you've been on several undercover missions before and have come back perfectly fine. But…something about this just feels…bad. I can't explain it, but I know I'm right. And a mermaid—a being of the water—fighting a fire-wielding merman? You could get seriously hurt."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," she told him, "if it keeps Reimagia and its inhabitants safe. It's my job, Bonvis. It's my passion and my purpose in life. I know very well what I'm getting into, and what I'm _always_ getting into. And sure, there's a good chance that, someday, it might very well be my last mission…" She reached up and cupped his face as he frowned. "But…at least, if it is, I'll know that I went out giving it my all and standing up for what's right." She then smiled as he grasped her hand and lowered it, entwining their fingers together. "After all, water tends to douse fire anyway, right? Maybe I'll have an advantage."

"I guess…" He inhaled slowly as she was about to turn and leave, but he suddenly tightened his hold on her hand, stopping her from moving. "I'm going with you."

Yohanna blinked at him, her eyes wide. "Bonvis, no. You're not trained for missions like this."

"Maybe not, but I know how corrupted minds work. For a very long time, I was immersed in the darkest of magic and frames of mind, so I have a pretty good idea how villains tend to think." Seeing that she still seemed unconvinced, he grasped her other hand. "Come on, Yohanna, please. I could help you…just like you've helped me heal these last few months. I owe it to you."

"You don't owe me anything, Bonvis," she insisted, squeezing his hands. "It's what you do for people you care about." She smiled as he blushed a little bit. "But…" She sighed and nodded. "I guess you can come with me." She released his left hand and held up her right hand to him as he appeared to be rather relieved. "However, you must listen to _everything _I say. One wrong move, and you might get both of us captured…or worse." She narrowed her eyes at him as she lowered her hand. "You understand?"

He nodded seriously. "I do."

She then smiled, releasing his other hand and stepping back, eyeing him up and down.

Bonvis gulped nervously, folding his arms in a self-conscious way. "What…are you doing?"

Yohanna smirked. "Wondering what you're going to look like with a tail."

His eyes widened as she turned and walked along the water. "W-Wait, what?! A _tail_? Yohanna, get back here!" He hurried off after her.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Coincidental


	2. Coincidental

Ablaze

Summary: When Yohanna is sent to Reimagia on her undercover mission, Bonvis worries for her safety and insists on going with her; meanwhile, Sofia and Cedric are visiting the Reimagian inhabitants and unwillingly get caught up in the chaos.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Bonvis, Yohanna, Malvino, Laukki/Blaze, Vibbi, and the kingdom of Reimagia, as well as any other OCs that show up.

A/N: All righty! Let's check in with the Reimagian crew! AND you'll see Cedric and Sofia in this part. Before the end, we'll have all three groups together before you finally get to meet our new bad guy. :D

**Chapter 2: Coincidental**

Reimagia had gone through a great many changes since the death of their former leader, Sir Leignton, not to mention the fall of so many others throughout the land. Lord Palazzo had certainly stepped up the last few years and had kept order with Sir Leignton's former trusted advisors, especially the brash Lord Cadigan. While both former advisors had not always seen eye to eye on things, they had ultimately learned to work together.

Malvino was still working at the Grand Cupola with the other trainers, and he and Axima were even dating now (which had taken a _long _time for the former leader's daughter to agree to, since she'd had to process a lot of trauma before being willing to set aside the past and press on with the future). Axima's two best friends, Lamaya and Bergon, had been offered official positions in a neighboring kingdom and, at Axima's encouragement, had finally accepted and moved off. That was seven months ago now.

While losing both her father and her brother to an evil entity had taken a harsh toll on Axima in mind, body, and spirit, she'd started fully coming around about a year after the event and was making slow but steady progress. She'd never be the same, obviously, but she'd learned to cope with her intense feelings of anguish and even betrayal (though she knew Hironko hosting Kinoroh wasn't _his _fault). Thanks to the love and support of Malvino, her friends, and the advisors, she hadn't had to face her new journey alone. And for that, she was truly thankful.

Meanwhile, Cedric and Sofia had opted to visit Reimagia just to check in on the kingdom and its inhabitants. They hadn't heard a word about the supposed wicked being whom Yohanna had been sent to handle. In fact, for a few weeks now, Sofia hadn't had any Protector missions to deal with. The last one had been very minor and in her own realm for a change: visiting the Misty Palisades to inform the dragons and sea serpents about some magical updates coming to their area. Considering both groups were now getting along rather well, it had been a simple enough trip.

The partners were now in The Galley, waiting on Lord Palazzo to finish a meeting with his staff. The new leader had been kind enough to allow them to wait in his office while the meeting carried on.

Cedric was sitting on a plush black sofa, leaning against the left armrest and yawning, as Sofia was walking around the leader's office, observing all his books and knickknacks. "Perhaps after Lord Palazzo speaks with us, we can visit with Malvino," Cedric suggested as he propped his head in his hand.

Sofia grinned over her shoulder as she pulled down a tiny dragon figurine from the bookcase she was now standing in front of. "I thought you were always so suspicious about Malvino in the past, and now you want to visit him."

"Yes, well, that was back when he was _acting_ rather suspiciously, and everyone assumed he might very well be evil. Now that we know he isn't, I'm quite all right with him."

"Hmm." She observed the little dragon in her hands, tracing the red and black markings on its wings. "You mean, since you know he's not going to hurt anyone…" She placed the figurine back in its spot before turning and smiling gently at him as he glanced at her. "Like me."

Cedric blinked at her words before shrugging as she walked toward him. "Of course. Part of my job is making sure you don't get hurt, Sofia."

The princess laughed softly as she brushed his arm away from the armrest and sat down beside him instead, playfully flicking his bangs before combing her fingers through his hair, smiling as he sighed softly. "I don't think it's so much a job anymore, as it is instinct. It's not our _job_ to save each other… It's proof of our…dedication, I guess."

"Mm-hmm," he murmured distractedly, his eyes nearly drifting closed as she continued running her fingers through his hair. However, he snapped back to attention as she gasped sharply and quickly withdrew her hand. He looked up at his partner, who seemed to be cradling her hand to her chest. "Sofia, what's wrong?"

Sofia stared at her hand for a few moments before looking down at Cedric. "I… I don't know. I just felt…a sharp pain, and…"

Cedric reached up and took her hand, turning it palm up so he could look at it better. He traced his fingers over her palm and around her thumb and fingers, his expression focused as he did.

The princess held her breath as the sorcerer applied a bit more pressure to her palm. "Mm…"

"Does that hurt?" he asked somewhat apprehensively before looking toward her.

"A bit… But not like what I felt earlier." She sighed in relaxation as he glanced back at her hand again, opting to just gently massage it for now. "It felt like…like a few years ago, when I first discovered my Hand Magic for the first time."

Cedric frowned at the mention. "The last time I recall you saying your hands hurt like that was _here_…" He reached up and gestured briefly, taking her other hand as well. "What about this one?"

"They're both sort of…" She shrugged, her words trailing off.

"Perhaps a visit to Malvino _is _in order, eh? If anyone can help you with that, it's the Hand Magic expert."

She smiled and nodded. "Although _you're_ definitely helping right now."

Cedric smiled back at her before moving over on the sofa and, with his hands still wrapped around hers, pulling her down to sit next to him. "I aim to please, my dear."

They both glanced up as the door to the office opened, and Lord Palazzo walked in with a tired expression on his face. The silver-haired man ran a hand over his face, his grayish blue eyes looking just as tired as he clearly was. Rather than the usual Reimagian uniform that most leaders wore, he was in a simple pair of black slacks and a dark gray turtleneck, along with a shiny pair of dark shoes. He wore a silver pendant around his neck that had a blue stone hanging from it. Draped behind him to just above his knees was a dark cloak. His dark wedding band sparkled under the lighting as he lowered his hand and sighed.

"I apologize for keeping you both waiting," he told them as he unlatched his cloak and tossed it onto his desk chair before leaning against his desk, folding his arms over his chest. "I admire my staff, really, but they sometimes just don't know when to shut up."

Cedric laughed as Sofia leaned against him a bit, seemingly content with him continuing to carefully massage her hands. "I believe we can all relate to that, Lord Palazzo."

The older man chuckled. "Anyway, I'm pleased to see you both. It's been a while…" He smiled gently toward the princess. "You're what, now, Princess Sofia? Eighteen?"

"Yes, and I'll be nineteen in October." She glanced down as she noticed Cedric's fingers pausing on her BerryBand, and she instantly thought of Nana. They'd had every intention of bringing her to Reimagia, but their little one had come down with a cold. Knowing it was best not to travel with her being sick, Cordelia had graciously volunteered to look after her again. She missed their little Strawbaby, but she had a feeling Cedric probably missed her just as much as she did—if not more.

"Ah, I see. You seem to be a great deal more confident and even more mature than you were during your last stay here." He nodded toward them with a knowing smile. "And I see the two of you are closer than ever. Quite literally."

Cedric blinked before clearing his throat as he gently patted Sofia's hands before releasing them. "Yes… Are you aware if Malvino is available? Sofia mentioned that her hands were hurting again, and she hasn't had an experience quite that bad since the last time we were here. As Malvino is the Hand Magic expert, I was wondering if we could speak to him and see if he might possibly know what's wrong with them."

Lord Palazzo stroked his beard momentarily before humming. "If I'm not mistaken, I believe he and Axima are training in the Grand Cupola."

"How is she doing?" Sofia asked, genuinely curious and concerned about the other girl. It had been two years since they'd seen each other, so she couldn't help wondering.

"It took a very long time for her to come to terms with everything, and she's still not fully herself after everything that she went through, but…" He nodded once. "I believe she's in a better frame of mind now than she was. Malvino has been key in helping her recover, actually. They're even dating now."

"They are?" Cedric asked, a bit surprised by this information. To him, Malvino had seemed very standoffish due to his nature and the scar on his eye, which had caused him to be the subject of many whispers of deceit and corruption (although none of it was ever true). Of course, those things alone didn't define him, regardless. Still…

"Aww," Sofia cooed. "I always had a feeling she liked him. When everyone else was blaming him and accusing him of being Kinoroh, she seemed to be the one person who believed in him." She smiled, pleased with this new development. "I'm happy for them."

"As are we. I look at her like my own daughter now, since she's lost her father figure. I want so badly for her to have a good life and all the experiences this existence affords." He gripped the desk behind him. "My wife and I never did have children, so she's about the closest we'll ever get, at this point, and I'm actually rather honored to say so." He coughed once as he noticed that the partners seemed to be silently contemplating his words. "Anyway… You're more than welcome to stay in the Diamond Dormitory again if you wish. It's just as you left it the last time you were here."

"We appreciate it," the sorcerer began as he stood and pulled Sofia to her feet, "but we won't be staying that long. We had only planned to visit for the day."

"But," Sofia interjected, grinning at Cedric, "if it gets too late or we change our minds… We'll definitely take you up on your offer, Lord Palazzo." She smiled back at the older leader.

Lord Palazzo laughed and nodded. "As you wish, Princess Sofia. Allow me to escort you both to the Grand Cupola."

"That's okay," the princess insisted, shaking her head. "We know the way."

* * *

Upon arriving at the Grand Cupola, the partners were thrilled to see so many familiar faces. All the trainers who'd helped her out still seemed to be working to train other young and hopeful magic wielders. Axima didn't appear to be around, but they did locate Malvino working with a young boy.

"Concentrate," the dark-haired Hand Magic expert told his student, holding his hands over the young child's. "Center all your energy deep within you. And _never_ close your eyes."

"I remember when he told _me _that," Sofia murmured to Cedric as they stood, watching them.

***Flashback***

_"Watch this," the Hand Magic expert insisted as he stood behind her and held her shoulders steady. "Relax."_

_Sofia breathed out once as the magic expert guided and extended her hands forward. She wasn't sure what his aim was, but she was listening carefully and doing as she was told._

_"The goal of mastering Hand Magic is to control it—don't let __**it**__ control __**you**__. Focus all your energy into the palms of your hands and the tips of your fingers._

_She did as she was told, closing her eyes as she did._

_"Uh-uh, __**never**__ close your eyes," Malvino insisted as he stood next to her, folding his arms as she blinked her eyes open. "It singles you out as weak or easy prey, and I'm sure you don't want that."_

***End flashback***

He had a point then, and he had a point now. Sofia knew very well at this point the importance of keeping her eyes open and focused on her surroundings. And given everything she'd been through at that point, including all the enemies she'd had to face, she wasn't about to close her eyes to them.

"All right, Kino. Good work." Malvino grinned at the little blonde boy, who nodded excitedly. "Go find your mom. I'll see you next week." He blinked in surprise as the child threw his arms around his neck.

"Thanks, Mr. Malvino!" he cheered happily in his excited voice before he released the young man and took off running.

Malvino smiled and shook his head before standing to his feet, only to turn and gasp softly as he saw his two visitors standing behind him. "Cedric? Princess Sofia?" He quickly gestured toward them, guiding them toward the exit. Once they made it outside, he looked at them strangely. "What are you two doing here?"

"We came to check in on you guys," Sofia told him kindly. "We had a little bit of a break, but we didn't get to visit with you during our Magical Ambassador trip." Just thinking about _that _time still gave her a bit of anxiety, but she pushed it aside for now. "So, uh… We heard about you and Axima."

He blushed a bit before folding his arms. "Yeah…"

She giggled. "I'm happy for you guys. I honestly thought you were already together at first, just because of how close you were."

Malvino smirked, rolling his eyes. "Hmm. I guess it was inevitable then, huh?" He then sighed heavily. "I'm sorry to disappoint you both, but this…is probably the worst possible time for a visit. And it doesn't even have anything to do with the training." He frowned. "I've felt a disturbance here in Reimagia, though no one else seems to sense anything. I've brought my concerns to Lord Palazzo, and while he said he would look into it, I'm afraid he doesn't sense anything either." He turned and began walking along the path that led around The Galley and to the ocean instead, the two friends following behind him. "It makes me wonder if what I'm sensing is nothing."

"It probably isn't," Sofia advised him as she caught up to him, Cedric right behind her. "You taught me to trust my instincts, Malvino. Maybe you should do the same."

"I guess…"

"And what exactly do you believe that you are sensing?" Cedric wondered as they all slowed to a halt near the water, which was much calmer than the last time they'd seen it.

"It just feels like a really bad presence. I don't think it's as bad as Kinoroh, but I know it's still very powerful. And it feels familiar somehow, but I can't explain why."

Just the sound of the evil entity's name sent chills down Sofia's spine. She then winced as she felt a sharp jolt through her hands again. "Agh…"

Cedric looked toward her before gently placing his hands on her arms, gingerly caressing them to calm her down. "It's all right, Sofia…" He glanced toward the Hand Magic expert. "While we have you here, Malvino, Sofia seems to be having some difficulties with her hands… We're not sure if it's linked to her Hand Magic or not, but… She was in pain earlier, and I was wondering if you could help."

"Pain?" He turned toward Sofia, reaching out and carefully grasping her hands, frowning as she winced again. "How long has this been going on?"

"Since about an hour ago… When we got settled here in Lord Palazzo's office."

Cedric frowned. "You don't believe Lord Palazzo is another evil entity, do you?"

"No," Malvino assured him. "I would have known long ago. It must be something else." He gently squeezed Sofia's hands, sending some of his own magic and energy to her and causing her to sigh in relief. "It could just be a negative reaction to the land. Magic remembers the good and bad experiences, believe it or not. It's what makes magic so unique." Satisfied with the results, he released Sofia's hands. "How do they feel now?"

She flexed her fingers before nodding. "A lot better. Thanks, Malvino."

He nodded before turning toward the water as a loud splash caught their attention. He quickly dropped to a defensive stance, his own hands powered up with powerful magic and ready to strike if necessary.

"W-W-Wait!" a blue-long-haired merman called out as he waved his hands, his gray eyes wide as the trio of magic wielders stared at him, baffled. "We come in peace! Well, sort of…"

"Who are you?" Sofia asked curiously. "You sound familiar…"

Yohanna broke the surface and moved next to the merman in her mermaid form. She carefully scooted onto the land as he did the same. Using some of her own magic, she transformed herself into her human form and her companion into his normal form… Bonvis.

"Bonvis?!" Sofia gasped, her eyes wide as the other two stood before them. "Wh-What are you doing here? And why were you dressed like a merman?"

"He wasn't just _dressed_ like one," Yohanna remarked with a grin. "He _was _one for a while."

"And who exactly are you?" Cedric wondered.

She smiled and placed her hands on her hips. "Yohanna. Undercover Protector for the Mystic Isles, and from the Isle of Mermaids."

"No way," Sofia murmured in awe.

"And what brings you both here exactly?" Malvino wondered, a bit confused by a Protector's sudden appearance—a mermaid, at that.

Yohanna suddenly became very serious as she folded her arms. "Are any of you familiar with the one they call Laukki?"

Cedric and Sofia exchanged glances and shrugged.

Malvino fisted one hand and growled softly, his eyes narrowed. _Now _everything was starting to make sense… It explained everything he'd felt. "What has he done _this_ time?"

The older Protector smiled wryly. "Malvino, I presume?"

To be continued…

Next chapter: Fire Starter


	3. Fire Starter

Ablaze

Summary: When Yohanna is sent to Reimagia on her undercover mission, Bonvis worries for her safety and insists on going with her; meanwhile, Sofia and Cedric are visiting the Reimagian inhabitants and unwillingly get caught up in the chaos.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Bonvis, Yohanna, Malvino, Laukki/Blaze, Vibbi, and the kingdom of Reimagia, as well as any other OCs that show up.

A/N: Let's meet our bad guy for this story! You'll also get to meet his little minion of sorts, whom I personally just can't get enough of. Lol. Just so you know, this chapter is all about Laukki/Blaze and his plans. You'll also get a little background on his tiny sidekick.

**Chapter 3: Fire Starter**

"_Vibbi_!"

A tiny shark, probably no bigger than three inches long, beamed happily as she heard her name bellowed through the waters. "Coming, Master Blaze!" she enthused in her high-pitched voice, rushing through the seaweed and coral as fast as her tiny fins could propel her forward. Her light blue eyes shimmered in mirth as she hummed some peppy tune to herself.

Finally at her destination (a shipwreck beneath the ocean of Reimagia), the little shark panted a few times before attempting to salute with her small fin (and only halfway succeeding). "I'm here, Master Blaze!"

Before her leered a semi-muscular merman, whose skin was as green as trees in the springtime and whose hair looked like a persistent flame as it swayed to and fro in the water. His tail was a display of blood red scales, though there appeared to be a few deep gashes along the length of his tail and from all angles. In addition, his fin was mangled in some sections, causing the semi-transparent area to appear practically disintegrated. Around his neck lay a skull and crossbones pendant, the glaring 'eyes' of the skull made from pure rubies; around both of his upper arms were solid gold bands; and on his third left finger was a golden ring with a strange symbol in the middle. His forearms were magically tattooed with red and black flames. His eyes were a strange shade of green and red, and his teeth were visibly as sharp as any shark's.

He was Laukki, a Fire Starter who would control any and all fire-based objects, including the magma from deep within underwater (or above water) volcanoes. Despite his water dependency due to his status as a merman, the fire did not harm him; in addition, the water did not douse his flames when they were activated. It was an unusual marriage of elements that worked with him rather than against him, which made him a perfectly formidable enemy to any who crossed his path.

Because he despised his real name (a name issued to him by his estranged parents, who had long since renounced him as their son, due to his evil affiliation), he had adopted an obvious yet characteristic nickname: Blaze. The only ones who called him by his real name were those who opposed him… And he had a _lot _of opposition at this point.

"Where were you?" Blaze growled, the sound startling the little shark and causing her to gulp. "I gave you instructions to stay within shouting distance."

"I did!" the little one insisted, still a bit shaky from her rapid swimming. "I heard you all the way at the edge of the coral, Master Blaze!" She smiled excitedly. "Did you have a new plan for _evil_?"

The merman allowed a bit of his annoyance to fizzle as he smirked at the baby shark's inquiry. If nothing else, Vibbi (whom he considered his minion and _sometimes _his sidekick) was always anxious to hear his plans, and as he was someone who liked to rant and rave about his desire to retaliate against those who had wronged him, that just made the tiny shark even more tolerated company. And in the Fire Starter's eyes, the list of enemies he had yet to face was growing longer and longer.

"Picture it, Vibbi," the merman cooed, though it sounded less harmonious and more threatening due to its sinister undertone. However, the little shark didn't seem to notice; she was far too enthralled with her master's hands as they whirled around and produced a large bubble with an image of Reimagia within. "The entire kingdom of Reimagia… The home of the oh-so-grand Malvino…" He snapped his fingers, causing the image of the kingdom to suddenly change into one of ruin—The Galley dilapidated and on fire, the rest of the buildings nothing but ash, and Malvino himself fallen and bleeding out, with a triumphant Laukki cackling from a distance, his two-toned eyes blazing like the fire of his namesake. "Tarnished. Destroyed. Decaying into nothingness…"

"Wow," Vibbi managed, blinking as she swam up to her master and alighted onto his shoulder. "You must reeeeeeeally dislike Reimagia and that Malvino man, huh?"

Laukki deadpanned at her question before scooping her into one of his hands, his other hand folded into a fist and propped onto his hip as he gave her a pointed look. "Did you even listen to my rant yesterday about _why _I have plans to destroy the kingdom and that Hand Magic freak?" He angrily gestured toward his tail and fin with his free hand, indicating the damage he'd sustained. "If it weren't for _him_, I wouldn't have such trouble swimming! If it weren't for _him_, I would still be in the Fire Starters' Army! But no… He _had_ to ruin my reputation and my life! The only way to get my revenge is to destroy Malvino and his beloved Reimagia!" He noticed the vacant expression on Vibbi's face and scoffed. "And you don't even care; you're not even listening _now_. Why would I assume that you were listening yesterday?"

"See, I _was_ listening," she began sheepishly as she blushed, her large eyes darting to the side as she tapped her fins against his palm, "but… Well, a school of fish swam by, and they were so pretty-!"

"…You're the most useless 'sidekick' I could have ever discovered." He rolled his eyes as she floated up to relax on his head. "All I ask is that you're nearby to hear me complain, and to give me encouragement when I'm ready to strike, but you are more fascinated with fish than with me?" He folded his arms. "Sharks _eat_ fish, Vibbi. They don't 'find them fascinating.'"

"I don't eat fish," she responded as she sighed heavily. "I think I'm now a kelpatarian after I saw what happened to that one clownfish a while ago."

"There's no such thing as—ugh, never mind." He then flexed his hands forward, producing another large bubble with a new scene. "And as if Malvino weren't enough, the Protectors are on my case again." With a flick of his wrist, the scene changed to show a recent scene of both Yohanna and Bonvis swimming toward Reimagia. "And they've sent an opponent to take me down, it seems." He chuckled darkly, his eyes flickering and his tongue darting over his lips as he stared in intrigue at the blue-haired mermaid. "It's a shame I'll have to destroy her too. She would have looked good being my partner in crime."

"I thought _I _was your partner in crime, Master Blaze!" Vibbi whined, frowning as she swam forward and chomped down on the merman's bubble, causing it to pop. She turned back toward the annoyed Fire Starter and pouted. "My mommy always said that friends stick together!"

"Yes, well… One, your mommy is _dead_, and two, we are _not_ friends." While he noticed the shocked and disheartened expression on the tiny shark's face, he couldn't find it in his cold-blooded heart to care. Sure, Vibbi had been with him for a long time. He'd actually discovered her by accident when her mother had been killed by some ravenous humans. He hadn't expected the little one to follow him and basically grow attached to him. Since she didn't seem to be going anywhere, he set some ground rules: one, he was to be called Master Blaze; two, he was not to be interrupted while working (or ranting) unless he specifically called for her; and three, they were acquaintances and she was _barely_ his sidekick, but they would _never_ be friends. Fire Starters didn't have friends (or need them), and Laukki was no different. "…We will attack at dawn, and it's all or nothing. Only one of us will survive, and I intend to be that one."

While he swam off deeper into the shipwreck to plan, Vibbi sighed sadly. She really liked Laukki, despite his wicked ways. Considering her origins as a shark, she knew by instinct that she was supposed to be predatory to some degree. She knew many viewed sharks as dangerous, but she didn't really mind that label. Danger was fun, in a way. Or at least, her beloved 'Master Blaze' made it look fun. She wanted to be _just _like him when she grew up, though she knew that he couldn't care less about her aspirations to emulate him.

And that was the only thing about Laukki that she didn't like. He wouldn't give her the time of day, and as a young shark with a still surprisingly innocent mind, she needed all the nurturing she could get. But she had a feeling _he_ would be the _last_ one to give that to her. "But that's okay," she told herself as she trailed after the fiery-haired merman, who was loudly muttering to himself yet again. She smiled despite her recent dismay. "Master Blaze is the coolest… And I'm sure one day, he'll care about me as much as I care about him." Her little heart feeling a bit lighter, she swam off quickly through the water.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Heating Up


	4. Heating Up

Ablaze

Summary: When Yohanna is sent to Reimagia on her undercover mission, Bonvis worries for her safety and insists on going with her; meanwhile, Sofia and Cedric are visiting the Reimagian inhabitants and unwillingly get caught up in the chaos.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Bonvis, Yohanna, Malvino, Laukki/Blaze, Vibbi, and the kingdom of Reimagia, as well as any other OCs that show up.

A/N: This will be the longest chapter, because there's a lot of ground to cover before wrapping up the story. You'll see the big confrontation in here (including what happened to have the result you see on the cover photo), what Laukki's and Vibbi's fates will be, and what will happen with the others as well. 😊 Hope you enjoy.

Note: One, this is super long (30 pages), and two, it gets fluffy. ;D

**Chapter 4: Heating Up**

"I was informed that Laukki has caused all sorts of trouble, especially in underwater kingdoms, but I wasn't aware that he'd begun wreaking so much havoc above water as well," Yohanna informed Malvino as she sat with the others just at the base of the ocean on the same surface where Sofia had fought against Kinoroh over two years ago.

Speaking of Sofia, she sat between Cedric and Malvino, her head lowered in concentration as she deftly massaged her hands yet again. Despite the fact that the Hand Magic expert had issued her some of his own magic and helped her previously, her pain was slowly but surely returning. She had to wonder if it now had something to do with this Laukki guy. She gasped softly as she felt a familiar hand cover both of hers, and glancing to her left, she smiled quietly as she saw Cedric offering her a concerned look. To ease his worries, she leaned against his shoulder and clasped his hand with both of hers.

"The truth is that he's more of a pest than a threat," Malvino admitted, a deep frown on his face. "Or at least, that's how things began." He shook his head as he folded his arms. "However, when he had his sights set on Reimagia as a place he could conquer and destroy, I wasn't about to let that happen. He's powerful, but he's not invincible. I managed to stop him by severely injuring him." He unfolded his arms and glanced down at his hands, both of which were starting to tingle a bit. "Using my Hand Magic, I issued him several gashes in his tail, and I practically mangled his fins. He was in rather bad shape, and I honestly just left him to die."

Sofia's head whipped up at that admission, her blue eyes narrowed in disapproval. "I know he's a bad guy, Malvino, but…"

Malvino sighed heavily before frowning at the princess. "And I know your sense of morality and your quest to 'save' everyone gets in the way of things, Princess Sofia, but sometimes bad guys are _just _bad guys. Sometimes there's nothing _to_ save."

"If that were true," she argued back, gesturing toward Bonvis, "then Bonvis wouldn't be sitting with us right now. He had a really troubled history and made some very questionable and dangerous decisions, but there was a good person underneath his angry and wicked exterior. And look at him now." She smiled. "He's honestly one of my favorite people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, just because of his willingness to change and fight for what's right."

Bonvis's expression softened as he gaped at her quietly.

Sofia's smile turned sad. "And even after what happened with his brother… He hasn't given up. He's still following his heart and doing the right thing. Otherwise, I highly doubt he'd be here with Yohanna."

"That's an isolated case, I'm sure," Malvino insisted.

"Oh, really?" The younger Protector reached up to Cedric's face and gently grasped his chin, turning him to face the Reimagian inhabitant. "Meet my original 'isolated case' then."

"Really now?" Yohanna laughed in disbelief. "The other Protectors often spoke of a powerful sorcerer who would accompany and help you, Princess Sofia. I take it he's your sidekick?"

Cedric frowned pitifully as Sofia released his chin. "Excuse me, Ms. Yohanna, but I happen to be her partner. She and I work together daily in the field of magic, and several other things as well."

"Cedric was someone I always trusted," Sofia told the others as she leaned against him again, smiling calmly as he wrapped one arm around her. "From the moment I met him when I became a princess, I looked up to him and relied on him for help with several things. We forged a pretty unique friendship; from what others told me, it was uncommon for a princess and a royal sorcerer—or any castle worker, for that matter—to be so close. But we were." She hummed thoughtfully. "He helped me defeat several threats and navigate royal life and the world of magic. _But_…" She felt him gently squeeze her arm as a signal that he was okay with her continuing her story. "He failed to inform me that he'd originally only taken any interest in me because he was after my amulet: the Amulet of Avalor. He…wanted the power it held to take over my kingdom."

Yohanna blinked at that information, her aquamarine eyes wide. "_The _Amulet of Avalor… Wow." She glanced toward Sofia. "So… He betrayed you?"

"And yet you lean on him, quite literally, as a friend," Malvino surmised, watching them carefully. "What occurred that enabled you to move past his desire for power?"

"His clear desire to be a good person in the end," she concluded, staring imploringly toward Malvino in particular. "Cedric was never really bad, Malvino. Circumstances led him to make some very bad _decisions_, but…if he'd truly been evil like even _he_ thought he was, then I wouldn't be sitting here with him today. And I wouldn't trust him with my life as I do now."

Cedric had heard her say these words in a variety of ways over the years, but that particular wording left him speechless. He hadn't even said anything the entire time she'd relayed his story, and for good reason. She told it better than he ever could, and reliving the transformation from greedy, dark, and angry Cedric to kind, responsible, and good-natured Cedric wasn't exactly the worst thing he could think of.

"I hear you've helped many who've strayed from the path of good and managed to turn things around for them," Yohanna added. "I've especially heard about how you saved Prisma from the influence of Vor. While I think she still has a long way to go, the fact that you helped her at _all _after everything I was told is impressive, honestly."

"Everyone deserves a second chance," Sofia responded quietly. "If I'd given up on Bonvis, he wouldn't have met you, Yohanna. And he seems so much happier now than he did in his previous experience."

Bonvis nodded. "I agree with the princess… I am much happier as Bonvis than I was as Malvis…" Seeing Malvino's curious expression, he shrugged. "Long story. Probably at least eight chapters worth." He chuckled quietly to himself.

Sofia smiled sweetly toward Cedric, who returned the gesture. "And if I'd given up on _Cedric_… I don't think I could have forgiven _myself_. I would have lost my mentor, my confidant, my partner, and my best friend…" She closed her eyes and giggled as he kissed the crown of her head. She soon opened her eyes again and looked back at the others, who were watching them quietly. "And I wouldn't want that, you guys… We all make mistakes—some worse than others—but we _all _deserve a second chance."

"So, what you're saying is, _bad guys_ are just attracted to you and your overly accepting and kindhearted nature," Malvino summarized as he folded his arms again. He smirked as Sofia blushed modestly at his conclusion. "Right then. Guess we'll see what happens with Laukki. Perhaps we need to put that theory to the test."

"What we _need_ is a plan," Yohanna informed them. "Laukki is a creature of the sea, just like me. My mission is to subdue him and hand him over to the Protectors to handle. Of course, if he becomes increasingly difficult to handle—or dangerous, for that matter—I've been told to 'handle it as I see fit.' I could transform back and use my powers to capture him."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Yohanna," Bonvis told her with a clearly concerned expression. "You already said he's able to control both water _and _fire. You're not exactly fireproof. What if you get hurt?"

She smiled, gently caressing his cheek with her hand, causing him to sigh. "I'll be all right, Bonvis. Mermaids are tougher than you think."

"I guess we could give it a try," Malvino told her reluctantly. "However, knowing that you haven't gone up against him before, just watch your back. He doesn't fight fairly, and given that he's been injured and embarrassed, I doubt he's going to hold anything back anymore."

She nodded. "I'll handle it."

"And we're here if you need us," Sofia added. "We will step in if anything happens."

The older Protector smiled. "I appreciate that, Princess." She stood and walked back toward the water, her dark boots slowly morphing into her bare feet as she could feel her transformation beginning. She turned back toward the others. "Wish me luck." With that, she turned and dived into the water, only to emerge moments later in her mermaid form. She waved briefly to them before diving underwater again.

"What do we do now?" Bonvis asked nervously as he watched the water, which was slowly beginning to produce whitecaps due to the increasing wind.

"We wait," Malvino answered. "I suppose it's all we _can_ do now, given the circumstances."

Sofia glanced back toward Cedric, her hands finding his and her fingers gently entwining with his. Waiting was the hardest part, she knew, but at least she wouldn't be doing so alone. '_So much for a normal visit somewhere without danger for a change_,' she thought sardonically to herself as she sighed.

* * *

"VIBBI!"

Vibbi panted as she swam through the shipwreck to the temperamental merman, who looked rather impatient. "Y-You called, Master Blaze?" she asked timidly, gulping as he glared at her.

"Only three times!" He scoffed and swam past her, producing a stream of bubbles that caused the little shark to cough. He frowned as she swam hurriedly to catch up with him, keeping in pace right next to his shoulder. "The time has finally come to exact my revenge against Malvino and his precious Reimagia, and you're off frolicking among the seaweed again, no doubt."

"I was just…" She winced and clammed up the moment she saw his sharp gaze turn to her. It didn't matter what she told him, she realized. He would never accept any excuse for not being at his beck and call, like always. "I'm sorry, Master Blaze."

"You always are," he muttered bitterly as they navigated the waters together. He yelled in alarm as he felt a constraint encircle him, holding him fast. Looking down, he noticed what appeared to be a magical rope made of some of the most resilient seaweed and shells he'd ever seen. Trailing his eyes from the rope to the source, he smirked. "Well, well. If it isn't the little 'Mer-Tector,'" he chuckled as he finally faced Yohanna.

"Laukki the Fire Starter," she announced in an authoritative voice reserved only for those she pursued to bring to justice, "on behalf of the Protectors of the Mystic Isles, you are hereby under arrest and are to follow all commands that I, Yohanna, issue to you."

He laughed. "That's cute." He glanced toward the tiny shark near him, who was trying to free him from his binds but kept getting zapped backwards by the opposing magic. "Vibbi, get her!"

She panted again before nodding, turning her attention to the blue-haired mermaid. "Yes, Master Blaze!" Collecting herself, she bared her tiny but sharp teeth as she rushed toward Yohanna, nipping the girl in the arm a few times until she released her hold on her Enchantlet's lasso. "Let my master go!"

"Ow! Hey!" Yohanna gasped as she felt herself blasted backwards through the water, her back colliding with the sand and several sharp and broken shells, which pierced her skin and caused her to yell out in pain.

"Isn't this an interesting turn of events?" Laukki chided as he swam up toward the mermaid, circling her as if she were prey. "A Protector meant to capture me, now my own little captive." A grin spread across his face as he paused directly before her again, his stance far more menacing now that she was injured. "Don't you just love irony?"

"_I_ do!" Vibbi volunteered happily as she swam up to her master's shoulder, resting her tiny and exhausted form as she sighed. "'Specially if it means you win the game, Master Blaze."

He chuckled darkly. "The only game here, my dear Vibbi, is finding out how our victim is going to perish."

"What's 'perish' mean exactly?" the shark wondered with a blink toward the merman.

"It means we're going to _kill _her."

Yohanna groaned in anguish as she attempted to move, but to no avail.

"…Oh…" Vibbi didn't really have anything else to say. She knew Laukki was a self-proclaimed bad guy and 'evil' merman, and he'd always talked about revenge. But actually killing someone? "That's, um… That's what happened to my mommy, right?"

"Don't ask such useless questions now," he snapped, making her gulp.

"_Yohanna_!"

The mermaid groaned as she slowly lifted her arm, her Enchantlet activating and an image of Sofia and the faces of the worried trio with her appearing in a holographic form. "P-Princess?"

"Are you okay?" Sofia asked worriedly, her eyes widening at the sight of her.

"She won't be for long," Laukki retaliated as he summoned some magma with his right hand, magically sealing it over the mermaid's Enchantlet and completely destroying it, the extreme heat from the substance burning and scarring Yohanna's skin immediately as the device all but disintegrated before her eyes. He smirked as she held her wrist with a whimper escaping her. "I see you've come with backup… Perhaps I should teach you_ all _a lesson."

Yohanna scowled at him.

* * *

…

"Yohanna? Yohanna!" Bonvis continued yelling worriedly toward Sofia's Enchantlet, though he knew it was likely useless. They'd lost contact with the mermaid, and it was clear that she wasn't well or safe. "We have to go after her," he insisted as he looked toward the others.

"How?" Malvino challenged, logic triumphing over emotions yet again for him. "Last I checked, none of us are _actually_ merpeople, and even if we _were _to transform, the water is Laukki's turf. We'd be vaporized in seconds."

"We _have _to help her though," Sofia asserted as she lowered her arm, deactivating her Enchantlet. "There's always a way."

"Until there _isn't_," Malvino proclaimed seriously, though not maliciously. "I hate to burst your optimistic bubble, Princess Sofia, but not everything can be solved with positivity and pep talks."

"Okay, that's it." She marched up to the Hand Magic expert, and despite being several inches shorter than him, her normally calm blue eyes—now filled with fire—practically pierced his opaque ones. "Look, I get it. You're realistic, and I'm optimistic. You were unfairly judged as evil just based on your looks, and I'm unfairly judged as weak and helpless because I'm a princess. You think no one understands you because of your dark and brooding nature, and I'm practically an open book. We're different as we can be, Malvino, but you and I both want the same thing: we want peace." She then pointed toward the water. "Yohanna is down there, fighting for her life, trying to subdue a wicked merman who's caused you personally nothing but trouble in the past, and all you're doing now is throwing your hands up and claiming that there's nothing we can do. At least she's _trying _to do something. Could you maybe dig your way out of your woe-is-me shell for a change and _try _to be optimistic about saving not only Yohanna, but also very possibly your own kingdom?"

Cedric and Bonvis exchanged glances, the former inwardly beaming at his partner's mini outburst and the latter rather impressed with the princess's stance. They both turned back to face the other two as Malvino sighed in resignation.

"Fine," he relented, narrowing his eyes toward the heated princess. "How do _you _suggest we handle this situation, Princess Sofia?"

"First, we need to get Yohanna."

"Look no further!" a cackling voice called as the water practically exploded, splitting open from the center as the previously mentioned mermaid was hurled toward them, sending her pummeling straight into Bonvis, knocking them both to the ground as the other three stood aside, watching in apprehension.

"Yohanna?" Bonvis asked in concern as he observed her scorched and broken skin, her back and hair reddening with her own blood. "Y-Yohanna… What happened?"

"H-He destroyed my Enchantlet," she managed as she struggled to sit up, only enduring thanks to her friend's hold. "And I fell against a bed of sharp shells, which dug into my back." She whimpered. "I think there are still some embedded."

"I see the _Protectors _aren't quite what they used to be," Laukki taunted from his position, which was just at the peak of a stagnant wave that loomed high enough to make him appear more threatening. Even little Vibbi had poked her head out of the water next to him, her large eyes peering down at the others below them. "That was almost _too _easy!"

"You want a fight?" Malvino challenged as he jumped in front of the others. "Bring it on, _Laukki_."

"Grr…" Just hearing his real name was grating and painful, but the merman held his position. "Last time I fought _you_, I ended up mangled and left for dead." He smirked as his eyes trailed toward Sofia, who was kneeling next to Yohanna with Bonvis and trying to tend to her wounds. "I think I'd like to try a new opponent this time." He snarled as he produced a palmful of magma, his tattoos heating up and glowing as he did so.

Cedric glanced up, gasping as he realized what was about to happen. "Sofia, look out!" he called in fear, his body reacting before his brain as he dived on top of her, knocking her out of the way as the magma tunneled into the sand and left a smoking trail behind it. He panted as he looked down at the stunned princess. "A-Are you all right?"

Sofia, who'd been too dumbfounded to speak, finally breathed in relief and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face into his shoulder. "Cedric… Thank you…"

"Aww, how sweet," Laukki sneered as he watched the partners scramble to their feet while Bonvis tended to Yohanna. "But even sweet things don't last forever, eh?" He turned his palms toward them yet again, the magma beginning to flow from his veins, pooling in his hands once more.

Sofia gasped sharply as she felt her hands aching like they never had before. It felt like her veins were practically on fire, and she could even see little sparks beginning to erupt from her fingers. "What's happening?!"

Malvino gaped at her in shock. "I've never seen…_anything _like that before…"

Laukki yelled, "Goodbye, _princess_!" He released his magma yet again.

The next few moments happened as though they were in slow motion.

Cedric immediately enveloped Sofia in a tight embrace, hoping that either _he _would take the full blow or that he could at _least_ comfort her in both their last moments.

"No," she whispered to him, "not this time…" Sofia, thinking quickly despite her pain, pressed her palms to Cedric's chest and gave him a quick sad yet apologetic smile before shoving him aside, a stream of power pouring from her hands and surrounding him in a protective shield. She managed to jump out of the way of Laukki's powerful blast, but not quickly enough as the blazing hot magma seared her leg, causing her to collapse to the ground, her cheek bruising and a cut forming as it struck a rogue shell. She cried out in pain as she slowly sat up, her now pain-free hands reaching down to the ugly burn on her leg instead. "Oh, no…"

"Sofia!" Cedric called, his fists pounding on the impenetrable shield that surrounded him. He wanted nothing more than to reach out to her and help her, but she'd sealed him away for _his _safety… "…Could that be what her hands were doing this whole time?" he wondered softly as he watched his partner's pained expression as she barely caressed her injury, tears springing to her eyes as she did. "Preparing to…protect me? But…why? Why _me_? Why _now_?"

But then he realized why… This was Reimagia, where he'd brought her to help her finally realize her dream of becoming a sorceress. Where she'd trained to control her Hand Magic. Where she'd defeated Kinoroh while he had been knocked out, so close to death. Maybe she'd been on guard since arriving, and her magic had sensed it, and… And Malvino had said it himself…

"_Magic remembers the good and bad experiences, believe it or not. It's what makes magic so unique."_

"She…" His fingers trailed over the transparent barrier as he imagined himself gently stroking the princess's hair to calm her down and comfort her, but all he felt was the sturdy magical barricade yet again. "Sofia…" He groaned in dismay as he realized that hitting the glass-like barrier was a waste of time and energy. Instead, he could only hope that the others had enough strength and power left to defeat the wicked merman.

Sofia was practically doubled over in pain right now, but she did manage to turn and pull herself into a better sitting position. She gasped as Malvino reached down and pulled her to her feet, helping her lean against him. "Malvino?"

"I owe you an apology," he told her softly.

She frowned. "You're forgiven. Right now, we have bigger issues to handle." Keeping her leg slightly elevated and her grip on the Hand Magic expert, she turned to Bonvis and Yohanna, who'd transformed into her human form once again (and appeared to be in a bit better shape than her mermaid form, though not by much, given that she still had scratches and bruises everywhere). "Are you guys okay?"

"I'll be better once we handle _that _idiot," Bonvis insisted, nodding toward a cackling Laukki as he carefully pulled Yohanna into a standing position.

"I think…there's only one way we can really defeat him." Sofia glanced at the others. "It has to be on his own turf." She frowned at the perplexed look on Yohanna's face. "Are you up to it?"

Slowly, the older Protector nodded. "Let's just get it over with. I'll be all right."

"Sofia!"

Sofia turned, smiling softly as she saw Cedric pressing his hands against the barrier, his forehead resting against the glass-like coating as he stared worriedly at her. "I'll be all right, Cedric. I promise." Since she couldn't maneuver very well in her current state, she folded her hands over her heart before extending them toward him.

Cedric, catching her meaning, repeated the same motions and mumbled quietly, "I love you too, Sofia. Be careful…"

Laukki laughed maniacally before sneering at them. "Some _heroes_ you turned out to be…" Without another word, he sank beneath the ocean with a perplexed Vibbi, causing the water to return to its normal state. But around the area, storm clouds began gathering, and lightning sparked across the sky as the wind picked up; it was clear that Laukki was far from finished.

"I'll stay here and prepare to strike from above," Malvino indicated as the other three moved closer to the water, Sofia now relying more on Bonvis to help her. "Keep your guard up."

Yohanna nodded before grabbing Bonvis's free hand. "Ready?" she asked, smiling coyly at him as he gulped.

"S-Sure, I guess… But…" He glanced toward Sofia, who shook her head and grasped her amulet.

"I can handle it." She hobbled a bit forward before calling out, "I wish to be a mermaid!" The moment her amulet's magic enveloped her, she felt renewed in a sense. She wasn't completely healed by any means, but at the very least, she didn't have to deal with her leg injury at the moment. Her usual purple tail appeared, and her updated top did as well, and once again her hair broke free from its band as a shell tiara slipped into place on the crown of her head. The transformation was extremely quick, and by the time she'd finished, she had already dived deep into the water.

Yohanna and Bonvis transformed into their merpeople forms using the former's magical abilities, and they followed hurriedly after the princess.

Malvino turned as he heard Cedric pounding against the barrier again, supposedly experimentally but obviously hopelessly, given that the magical shield hadn't even budged under his force. He walked up to the sorcerer and held his hand out, sending a spark of magic toward it. He frowned as it merely vanished upon contact. "Sorry, Cedric… Looks like your princess _really _wanted to keep you safe, so I'm afraid she's the only one who'll be able to release you."

Cedric sighed, stilling his hands and touching his forehead to the barrier once again. "Figures…" He closed his eyes. "I just hope _she's_ safe."

"Knowing Princess Sofia, I'm sure she is."

* * *

Sofia cried out in agony as she swam along, her tail barely moving due to her pain. Apparently, the leg pain she thought had disappeared in her current form had only transferred to her tail, and she was _not _happy about that. She turned curiously as she felt Yohanna calmly take her left arm, and she seemed even more surprised when Bonvis did the same with her right arm. "You guys…"

"Just take it easy," Bonvis suggested with a soft smile. "Don't overdo it."

* * *

…

Trailing the fiery merman hadn't been as difficult as they'd initially believed. In fact, the hot-headed braggart had left several traces of magic in his wake, which had all but given his position away. They stopped a bit of a distance from the shipwreck in which Laukki was currently housed.

"This is it, huh?" Sofia guessed, frowning at the sight of the broken ship before them. "For someone who talks up his wicked nature and his powers, he sure doesn't seem to be able to back up his brags with proof."

"You just described pretty much every stereotypical 'villain' in any story," Yohanna laughed, smiling as she watched the princess giggle a bit. At least she was able to alleviate some of the tension and heavy weight of uncertainty for a while as their focus was now narrowed down to one thing rather than any other outside influences.

* * *

"What are we waiting for, Master Blaze?" Vibbi asked in confusion as she swam around his head a few times before pausing directly in front of him as she watched him pooling his magma into his hands, and before long, shaping it into something entirely different: a heated spear. "What…are you going to do with that?"

"What do you _think_, Vibbi?" he remarked with a snarky tone, smirking as he looked up at her. "I know you're tiny, but I'd hope your brain isn't that pathetically miniscule." He swam up and past her, knocking her out of the way and rolling his eyes as she grunted softly. "The princess and her foolish Protector pals will probably be tailing me any minute now. The least I can do is be prepared." He scowled at the little shark as she panted after catching up to him. "We're going to destroy them all, Vibbi."

"Destroy?" she asked, the word sounding extraneous and ugly to her. Sure, she knew that Laukki was considered evil and a threat to many, but she had a relatively innocent outlook on the world and a pure heart naturally (as a young shark), so she couldn't really understand why he wanted to hurt someone else. She knew _he _had been hurt, but… "You got hurted," she told him softly, gulping and swimming backwards a bit as he glared at her. "But listen to your friend: you don't have to hurt others too. It's not nice."

"_Nice_?" he roared before cackling loudly, nearly causing the eroded boards of the shipwreck to vibrate and tremble. He sneered at his tiny sidekick, watching her quivering before him. _This _was how a minion should act: fearful of her master, not just practically admiring every single thing that came out of his mouth. "Who do you think you're talking to, Vibbi? I'm Laukki, the Fire Starter of the North Seas, and I am _not _nice."

"But Master Blaze-!"

"And for the record, I am _not _your friend."

The defeated look on Vibbi's face said it all. Her heart was crumbling as she turned and swam away through a porthole.

Laukki watched her leave before snarling and exiting from the shipwreck, his magma spear clutched tightly in his hand, sizzling in his watery grip.

* * *

The trio outside the wreck watched in surprise as the tiny shark from earlier swam rapidly away from the dilapidated ship. They'd only seen her briefly, but they knew she had been with Laukki earlier. Knowing that, they became defensive as both Yohanna and Bonvis braced themselves in front of Sofia.

"You guys don't have to protect me," she told them softly, her eyes narrowing a bit in concern. "That's sort of my job, after all."

"Perhaps," Bonvis drawled in return, "but, like it or not, Princess Sofia, you _are _hurt."

"So is Yohanna."

"_I _didn't get blasted in the leg with magma," the older Protector returned, smiling apologetically at the other girl. "Just let us take the lead for now, okay?"

Reluctantly, Sofia nodded. "You…don't have your Enchantlet anymore, though. How are you going to fight?"

"I have my ways." She gently touched the rose necklace around her neck, smiling as it began glowing, along with her rings around her fingers. She then lowered her hands in front of her, a small pink gradient orb of magic appearing before her.

Even Bonvis appeared surprised by her actions as he held onto Sofia. "Yohanna?"

"I told you my mom was half mermaid," she said as she smiled at him. "Her dad was a merman; her mom…was an enchantress."

The other two barely had time to react as a blast of dark magic zoomed past them, destroying a bed of coral and some of the lifeforms (including fish) that had been near it.

Laukki smirked as he appeared before the trio, his pointed teeth gleaming in the light of his magic-lit magma spear. "Ready to die?" he taunted, looming nearer.

"Not today, Laukki," Yohanna declared, using some of the magic she'd already gathered and blasting it toward him, hitting him on the chest with her lighter magic and causing him to seethe in pain. "Renounce your wicked ways, and you can come with me peacefully to face the Protectors of the Mystic Isles."

The fiery-haired merman chuckled darkly as he gathered himself, smiling dangerously at the blue-haired mermaid. "I don't know the meaning of 'peacefully,' unfortunately. Chaos is more my creed." He used his free hand to gather more magma and hurled it at Yohanna.

Bonvis gasped as he unintentionally released the princess. "Yohanna, no!" He swam quickly toward her and wrapped her tightly in his arms, just barely missing the attack. He stared up at her as his back rested on the sandy bed of the ocean floor, and he could tell she was stunned by the rapid rescue. "Are you all right?"

Yohanna leaned down and kissed his cheek, smiling at him as he blushed. "My hero." Without waiting to receive a response, she turned, gasping as she saw the struggling princess in the distance. "Princess Sofia! Hold on!" Quickly, she swam toward her.

Sofia was floundering in the water, trying to stay upright, though the leg injury she'd endured that had transferred to her tail was certainly making things far more difficult. And unfortunately for her, she was practically a sitting duck. Her eyes widened as Laukki quickly swam up to her, wrapping one hand around her neck and holding his crafted spear up to her throat as he smirked at her.

"This is going to hurt," he threatened, his sharp teeth practically beaming in excitement. "A lot." He lifted the magma spear, drawing it just barely across the side of her neck, grinning as he heard not only the sizzle of the heat on her skin but also her scream of pain.

Sofia gasped as she felt herself being released, and she collided with some sharp shale scraping her back as her hair sprawled out around her in the ever-so-slightly moving water. She yelled out in alarm (and more pain) as she grasped the side of her burning neck before glancing upward, seeing that Laukki had been struck and was writhing in agony, his hands on his abdomen. She looked toward Yohanna, whose hands were extended in front of her as she panted. "Y-Yohanna…"

"Give it up, Laukki," Yohanna warned him in a serious tone as she swam in front of Sofia, floating before her as she kept her hands extended. "You're outnumbered, and there's more where that came from."

"You're a nuisance!" the merman growled as he swiped his magma spear at her, seething with rage as she moved out of the way. "Come here, you pest! I want to see you sliced and diced!" He managed to swipe her across her tail with the spear, his eyes wild and excited as he saw her double over, the wound already beginning to bleed (though slowly, given that they were under the water). "Ha, yes! I've got you now!" He suddenly dropped his spear and raised his hands to his head as he cried out in agony. "Agh! What is this?!"

Sofia looked behind him and her jaw dropped as she saw Bonvis attacking the merman with his own magic—apparently a form of dark magic left over from his time as Malvis (and weaker than it used to be), but enough to get the job done. Whatever he was doing to Laukki, it had bought them some time. She groaned as she slowly sat up, her back feeling as though it were about to split open from all the shale that had cut into her skin, and her neck still scorching with stinging pain. She knew she was in terrible condition, and she desperately needed some medical assistance. And Yohanna was no different. "Yohanna!"

The mermaid managed to seal her wound enough with her magic before turning to Sofia. "Sofia, call the Protectors and tell them to come to Reimagia to get him. Now!"

She nodded before extending her arm, activating her Enchantlet, wincing as she heard Chrysta's sharp gasp. "Chrysta, I can explain—"

"SOFIA!" the crystal fairy practically wailed in shock, her eyes wide at the sight of her friend. "You look awful! Who did that to you?! Let me know, and I will rip them to shreds!"

Sofia couldn't help the small smile that came to her face. "Laukki the Fire Starter…in Reimagia." She turned her Enchantlet to face the merman, who was currently subdued by Bonvis's dark magic.

"That pesky little merman?! Really?! We've been after him forever, and he goes after _my _friend? Oh, uh-uh!" She yelled, "Hey, you jerk! I've been meaning to have a fish fry, and it looks like you'll be on the menu! Minus the eating part!" She then paused as she noticed Yohanna in the background, appearing rather pale. She smiled sheepishly. "Oh, hey, Yohanna. Heh."

Yohanna cleared her throat. "Let's…pretend that part of the conversation never happened. Just get the Protectors here fast, Chrysta. Please."

"Okay, okay!" Chrysta nodded as she glanced to the side, seemingly looking for someone. "I'll get Orion and a few others, and we'll be there as quickly as we can. Hang tight!" With that, she sealed off the connection.

Sofia dropped her arm to her side and heaved a sigh of exhaustion as she looked at the others. She frowned as her focus turned to Bonvis. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," he responded with a nod, though he was clearly growing tired.

Laukki, for his part, had passed out in the dark magic trap, which was probably best for everyone. Except…

"Master Blaze!" Vibbi rushed over to the captured merman and gasped, looking around at the others with teary eyes. "What did you do to him?! You hurted him!"

"No, sweetie," Yohanna began gently, though she was weary of the little shark, given what had happened previously, "_he _was hurting _others_. We had to stop him. I know you seem to think a lot of him, but he's not a good guy."

"He's not super good, but…" Vibbi sniffled, though her fins weren't long enough to wipe her impending tears. She blinked as Yohanna took care of the task for her, offering her a kind and understanding look. "He was all I had. I don't have a mommy or daddy. Master Blaze took me in when I was a little Vibbi, and…"

"Is that your name?" Sofia asked, watching as the little shark looked toward her next. "Vibbi?"

"Uh-huh." She looked back at her former master, who had completely passed out. "Hmm…"

"Vibbi," Yohanna said quietly, getting the little one's attention again, "I know this sounds kind of weird coming from me, especially since we're the ones who just captured your master and everything, but…" She shrugged. "Would you like to come with me?"

"With you?" Vibbi echoed, frowning. "I don't know you. You're a stranger."

"I'm Yohanna." She pointed toward the princess. "That's Princess Sofia." She then gestured toward her friend. "And that's Bonvis. We all just want to keep the peace, and I want to help you if I can. If you come with me, I promise you'll be safe."

"Oh…" The shark gazed at her imploringly. "Will… Will you be my friend if I go with you?" She sighed heavily. "Master Blaze told me…he was _never_ my friend." With those words spoken, she started sniffling and tearing up again.

Yohanna reached out toward her, gathering her in a gentle hug. "If you come with me, where you'll be protected and secure, we'll definitely be friends. _Best_ friends, even."

"R-Really?" Seeing the mermaid nod, Vibbi smiled shyly. "I never had a friend before."

"You now have three," Sofia remarked kindly, though she was still feeling awful and wanted nothing more than to be in a bed at that moment.

The little shark wanted to cry again (from happiness), but she managed to stave it off. "That's all I ever wanted…" She cast one last look at her former master, a heavy burden lifted from her. "Goodbye, Master Blaze…"

* * *

…

The Protectors arrived about fifteen minutes later. Nerissa came along to manage the underwater situation with Laukki. The moment Bonvis had stopped his dark magic, the merman had come around and quickly tried to attack, but Nerissa trapped him with her own Enchantlet and arrested him.

Together, Sofia, Bonvis, and Yohanna slowly but surely swam to the surface, Vibbi following along behind them. While Yohanna stayed in the water with Vibbi, Bonvis and Sofia both carefully moved onto the bank, each transforming back to their normal forms (Sofia with the help of her amulet, and Bonvis with Yohanna's magic).

Cedric was still stuck behind the barrier that Sofia had made when the Protectors approached him and Malvino. Even _they _couldn't break it.

"Sofia, you're okay!" Chrysta cried as she rushed to the younger girl, enveloping her in a hug without even thinking. Hearing Sofia cry out in pain, she gasped and moved back, releasing her as she looked her over: the cut under her eye, her bruised face, the burn on her neck, the gash on her collarbone, the blood seeping from her leg through the ripped tights _and_ through the robe dress at her back. "Geez, girl. You look like you got into a fight with a shark!"

"Ironically," Sofia breathed with a tired smile, "the shark was the nice one…" She glanced toward her partner, who was watching her with a worried expression through his barrier. "If you'll excuse me, I need to break my partner out of his accidental magical prison."

Orion chuckled as Sofia walked shakily toward Cedric, with Chrysta's assistance. "I'm glad to see your sharp wit remains, Princess Sofia, even in the face of danger."

"You know me," she retaliated playfully, "always positive and quirky." She held up her hand toward the barrier and focused, keeping her eyes open, and imagined it dissolving away. Within seconds, it was gone, and Cedric was released. She smiled warmly at him. "Cedri—" She suddenly collapsed into his arms, her eyes rolling in the back of her head as she passed out.

"Sofia!" he called out in alarm as he gathered her into his arms.

"She's exhausted," Malvino informed him, though a bit unnecessarily as pretty much anyone could have guessed that. "Take her back to the Diamond Dormitory and let her rest. She'll need it."

"Thank you, Malvino," Cedric told him sincerely. "I know we haven't had the best of experiences with each other, but I do appreciate you teaching Sofia her Hand Magic in the first place, and even for looking after us in your own, standoffish, gloomy way."

The Hand Magic expert folded his arms and smirked. "If that was your lazy attempt at showing appreciation, I'll take it. And I'll see to it that you both make it to the dorm safely."

With those three gone, Chrysta and Orion turned to the remaining trio.

"Job well done, Yohanna," Orion told her with a smile as she sat on the bank, transforming into her human self. He frowned as he saw the extent of _her _wounds, not to mention her friend's as well. "Oh, goodness. Perhaps we'd better get you and Bonvis back to the Mystic Isles and get you healed up."

Vibbi overheard the man's words and sighed, turning to dive back under the water.

"Vibbi, wait, sweetie," Yohanna called out, reaching out to the little shark. "You're coming with us."

"How?" she asked sadly. "I'm a shark. I have to be in water. I don't have your magic to change into human Vibbi or anything…"

"Don't worry, little one," Orion told her, chuckling as he activated his Enchantlet. "I have just the solution." He allowed his magic to flow from his Enchantlet and toward the little shark, watching as she lifted out of the water, a warm light surrounding her.

Everyone observed the little shark's transformation in awe. When Orion was finished, a little girl stood on the wet grass before them.

She appeared to be about five years old with light skin, huge blue eyes, gray hair tied into tiny ponytails on either side of her head with a few long tendrils of loose hair, and a matching set of a light blue top and flowing skirt, as well as accompanying shoes. She gasped in surprise, and the others could see that, unlike a normal child, she still had slightly sharper teeth—an homage to her shark origins.

"Whoa," Vibbi began, gaping at her appearance as she looked at her hands and legs. She reached up and tugged on her hair, wincing a bit. "Ouch." She then grinned. "I'm human! I'm human!" She giggled. "I always wondered what it would be like to be a human. Ooh!" She turned and was about to rush off, but she tripped over her own feet and began to fall.

Bonvis reached down and picked her up, smiling at the stunned child. "Easy there, Vibbi," he told her softly. "You must learn to walk before you can run."

"Yeah, kid," Chrysta added with a grin. "Gotta get those…sea legs, huh?"

Yohanna rolled her eyes. "Oh, Chrysta." She groaned a bit as she felt all the cuts, bruises, and other injuries she'd sustained. "Ugh…" She smiled tiredly though as Bonvis walked toward her, wrapping an arm around her as Vibbi clung to his side.

"Let's get you home now," Orion suggested, chuckling as he watched the newly formed trio, thinking just how interesting this dynamic would end up being.

With things slowly getting back to normal and a new member of the Mystic Isles team (so to speak), they left Reimagia to get the medical treatment they needed as well as get Vibbi settled into her new home.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Diamond Dormitory…

Sofia, now awake, was truly starting to feel the pain becoming more prominent all over her poor body. Most of the injuries she'd sustained had been on her left leg, her collarbone, her neck, her back, and her face. She knew one thing. Had she not possessed such powerful magic, she probably would have either lost her leg or succumbed to her injuries altogether by now. Luckily, her magic was on her side and had begun attempting to heal her once she'd exited the water earlier, but since it wasn't her magic's specialty, she still needed some extra help.

That's where Cedric had come in. With a bit of aid from Malvino, he'd carried her from the beach all the way to the Diamond Dormitory (where they indeed _did_ end up having to stay, given the circumstances).

He took her to the downstairs part of the dormitory where he remembered a private bathroom was. After gently placing her on a soft chair in the corner of the room, he used his magic to quickly fill the tub with some warm water. He then walked back over to Sofia and carefully turned her around as he gathered her hair into his hands. "Hmm. Looks like I'll need to help you brush your hair out later. It's been through a lot." He chuckled as she sighed.

"Yeah, well…" She closed her eyes as she felt him gently twisting her hair up into a bun before magically pinning it in place. "Given the circumstances…"

He nodded. "I know." Without a second thought, he'd magically removed her tattered tights and scuffed boots so that he'd be able to access her injuries better. Thankfully, he didn't seem nervous or uncertain about the circumstances, and he was more focused on her wellbeing instead. He removed his gloves and pocketed them before hovering his hands over her injury. "May I?"

Sofia nodded before whimpering a bit as he just barely brushed his fingers over the wound. "Ow…"

"I'm sorry, Sofia. I know it hurts." He pointed his wand toward the tub and magically enhanced the water so that it began bubbling a bit, like one would expect in a jacuzzi. "Perhaps the water can at least wash away the dirt and debris, and then I'll help you with trying to heal your injuries." He helped her up and carefully walked her over to the tub. "I'll let you get a bath for a while so that the water can help begin the healing process. Just call me when you're done, and I'll help you upstairs." He used his wand yet again to conjure a rack with a fluffy towel and soft purple robe and underclothing, and then he looked back at her. "Will you be all right?"

She smiled and reached up to him, placing one hand on his cheek in an affectionate manner. "I will. Thank you, Cedric."

He smiled back before grasping her hand and gently kissing it, and then he left the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Sofia finished undressing and eased into the tub, whimpering a bit more as the warm water licked at her skin, not only soothing her aching muscles, but also beginning to remove the blood and dirt from her wounds. She wasn't a fan of the stinging sensation, obviously, but she'd rather get it over with than be stuck with the dirty, sticky, bloody patches that she'd already had to endure.

"I hate how familiar this feels," she mumbled, recalling that time a few years ago after her battle with Kinoroh, after which she'd come to this same bathtub to clean up. She recalled how _red _the water had been the last time. This time was probably just as bad, considering the extent of her injuries.

She did the best she could to wash off before using some mild soap to finish the process, after which she rinsed off and took advantage of Cedric's bubbling effect to allow the gentle jets to lessen her tense muscles.

Maybe ten minutes later, she finally grasped the side of the clawfoot tub and slowly stepped out, her feet touching the soft rug. She used the towel to pat her body dry, taking great care to be as easy on her injuries as possible, before she put on her underclothing and then slipped into the robe that he'd left her, tying it tightly. She smiled thoughtfully at the plum-colored fabric, which felt amazingly soft on her skin. It reached just past her calves and had an easy flow to it that she appreciated. "Good job, Cedric," she laughed quietly. She then glanced toward the closed door. "Cedric! I'm done!"

Footsteps echoed outside before the door opened, and Cedric stepped inside. He smiled at the princess, who still seemed to be relying a bit heavily on the edge of the bathtub to stand. "Good. However…" Using his wand, he instantly drained the tub and cleaned it before tucking the magical object away in his robe. He then reached up to Sofia's hair and released it, watching it tumble to its full length. "Now, my dear, we can do this two ways: one, I can magically clean and detangle your hair, or two…" He nodded toward the tub. "I can do it the old-fashioned way."

Sofia blinked at him before considering her options. She knew her back probably wouldn't like the idea of brush bristles on it right now. And considering where her other wounds were, she probably wouldn't do too well with the washing part either. "Um… I guess this time, let's do magic for both." She smiled at him as he nodded. "Because I don't think I can really handle a lot of strain right now."

"All right." He retrieved his wand again and murmured a few words as he waved it over her hair. In just a few moments, it was clean, detangled, and wavy again, though he did take the liberty of loosely braiding it for her, tying it off with a ribbon that he'd conjured. "There you are."

She smiled at him as he stepped back in front of her, holding his arm out for her to grasp, which she gladly did. "Thank you, Cedric…"

* * *

Cedric carried Sofia upstairs to their familiar bedroom, where she was now lying on her own bed (covered in a few extra sheets that he'd conjured up) as he sat next to her. He carefully pulled her robe up on her left leg only and frowned at the clean but still very prominent injury she'd sustained. He retrieved a damp soft cloth with some ointment on it from the bedside table and began tending to her wound.

"In case you ever wondered what it felt like to be struck by magma," she began tiredly, causing her friend to glance up at her from his task, "it feels like a thousand—no, a _million _hot knives stabbing you all at once, and then spreading out like spilling hot soup on yourself…over and over again."

Cedric instantly felt massive guilt once he heard her explanation. Granted, it wasn't his fault that she'd shoved him out of the way and hidden him behind a magical barrier in order to save him after he'd tried to protect _her _from being blasted (which obviously didn't pan out like he'd hoped), but still… "I can't even imagine," he mumbled softly as he returned to his chore of tending to her wound. "I have some stronger healing salve in my bag. I'm not sure how effective it will be on this type of burn though."

She moaned in discomfort as she pressed both of her hands to her forehead. "Anything will be better than just leaving it like it is…"

He draped the wet cloth over Sofia's injured leg before turning back to his bag, unsnapping it and rummaging around in it for a few moments. He finally secured a small green bottle and uncorked it, gingerly inhaling its scent. "This salve is made with aloe and mint. If I'm right, it should lessen the sting until I can find a proper healing spell." He poured some of the salve into one hand before placing the bottle down and then pulling the cloth away from her leg yet again.

Cedric rubbed the salve between his hands, the heat from his palms enhancing the mint's scent as he did. Finally, he lowered both of his hands to Sofia's leg and carefully began spreading the salve along her wound. He frowned as she cried out at the obviously painful and uncomfortable sensation, but he knew it had to be done. "Hang in there, my dear. I do apologize…"

"It's not your fault," she managed, forcing her eyes to focus on him rather than remain scrunched closed like they had been. "You were just trying to protect me, and I wanted to do the same. Clearly, I need to work on diving out of the way a bit faster, but…" She shrugged haphazardly, causing her partner to chuckle.

"Well… No one can fault you for trying at least." He magically replaced her damp rag with a new one and then turned to her face and neck. "You're just all scratched up, aren't you?" He again rubbed the salve in his hands before carefully applying it to her collarbone, neck, and different areas on her face that appeared to be worse off (like the deep cut under her left eye and the bruises around both of her eyes).

As she felt his fingers trail over her cheek, the princess sighed. "Is it bad?"

Cedric slowly massaged the salve into her skin, right where the scratch lay, and frowned. "I mean… I suppose it _could _be worse, but that wretched merman certainly didn't show you any mercy either." When he finished treating her wounds on her face, he then carefully brushed her bangs aside and placed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Sofia blushed a bit before smiling at him. "What's that for?"

He returned her smile. "Consider it a thank you and a hope for quick healing." He reached into his robe and grabbed his wand. "Though I suppose magic might be better."

She reached out and brushed her fingers over his, causing him to pause. "Magic is wonderful, Cedric… But it can't cure everything. And there's only one thing I know that's better than magic."

Catching her drift, the sorcerer turned his hand and held hers gently as he placed a kiss to her fingers. "I'm well aware." He smiled at her. "I love you, Sofia."

_That's _what she'd been waiting for. Sofia smiled happily at him as she nodded. "I love you too, Cedric."

After he'd finished cleaning her wounds before applying a layer of healing magic (which did handle most of the harsher injuries, including her back, which she had neglected to tell him about), Cedric used a spell to dress her in some loose and comforting lavender pajamas as a replacement to the robe before drawing a light blanket over her.

"Good night, Cedric," she murmured as her eyes drifted closed and she sank into the pillow.

He smiled, caressing her healed cheek. "Good night, Sofia." Encouraged by her calm state and her slower breathing, he finally put his things away and returned to his own bed, soon allowing sleep to overtake him at last.

* * *

The next morning, the Enchancian duo got cleaned up and dressed, ate breakfast with the Reimagian crew, and packed up to head home in the AutoCoach. Upon arriving in Enchancia, they had a really sweet reunion with their little one.

Nana had been reclining against Cordelia's shoulder, her little nose still red from her recent cold. She had a mini version of Sofia's robe dress (in red) on but no shoes—just warm socks. The moment she saw her guardians arrive and approach the castle, she beamed and waved her hands excitedly toward them.

Cedric stepped up to his sister and scooped the child into his arms, pressing a few kisses to her cheek. "Oh, Nana," he cooed gently. "How are you feeling, my darling? Any better?"

She nodded with a smile before hugging him tightly around the neck. Satisfied with his returned hug, she then sat back and folded her arms, frowning at him.

He blinked. "What?"

Cordelia chuckled as Sofia finally walked up beside him (having been a bit slower due to her healing injuries). "You told her you'd be back _yesterday_, Cedric."

"Yes, well… Things happen." He glanced toward his partner, who smiled appreciatively. He didn't want to mention any troubling topics around Nana, or even around Cordelia, for that matter.

"And you _do_ know that King Roland was wondering where you both were when you hadn't arrived home last night."

Sofia gasped, her hands raising to her mouth. "Oh, no… I completely forgot about that. Cedric…"

The sorceress grinned. "Don't worry; I took care of it."

Cedric glanced at her dubiously. "…How?"

She shrugged as he passed the little girl to Sofia, who gently hugged her. "I told him that there was a storm said to be in the area, which would delay you both." She smirked. "Having grown up with Goodwyn the Great and his strict rules, one learns to lie effectively and effortlessly." She tapped her chin. "Which, given the results of my experiences with Calista's father, may not be something to brag about. That's the one time I wish our father _had _caught me."

Sofia turned her attention back to Nana, who was staring at her curiously, looking at each healing wound she could see. "I'm okay, Nana," she assured her quietly, smiling as the strawberry child looked her in the eye. "I just…had a few accidents."

While Nana was still young, she was well aware of danger and the results of said danger. She didn't believe Sofia for a second, but she _was _glad to have her home and safe. She just returned the smile and hugged her guardian happily.

"I'm really tired," Cedric yawned as he sighed. "I think I'm going to take a long nap."

"Me too," Sofia added, giggling as Nana also nodded. "I've got to tell Mom and Dad that we made it back." She passed Nana off to Cedric, who blinked. "You two go to my room and get the big purple blanket from my window seat. I'll meet you there after I finish." She kissed Nana's cheek before hugging Cordelia briefly and then heading inside.

Cedric frowned in confusion. "…What did I just agree to?"

Cordelia smiled, folding her arms. "Sounds like you guys are going to have a 'family nap' in Sofia's room."

"Oh." He shrugged. "Sounds good to me. Thanks for helping out with Nana, Cordelia." That said, he headed inside as well.

The sorceress sighed and rolled her eyes. "Never a dull moment with those two." She giggled before following her brother.

The end

Ending A/N: To answer a few questions! Yes, Bonvis broke the fourth wall with his little 'eight chapters' comment (see "The Scepter of Darkness,' lol). Yes, Yohanna got a new Enchantlet. Yes, they all got a nap! Lol. Vibbi is settling in with Bonvis and Yohanna in the Mystic Isles. Nana started feeling better after her guardians came home (it was just a little cold though). The injuries all healed up fine. Laukki is locked up and under Orion's surveillance. Oh, and Chrysta _didn't_ fry Laukki. Bahahaha!


End file.
